The module will introduce aspects of development, growth and change over the lifespan. Students will explore key developmental stages for example infancy and adolescence and will consider some of the issues that arise from current psychological research exploring lifespan experience. Teaching sessions will focus on cognitive and social development and growth in childhood, adulthood and old age. Students will be introduced to appropriate methodologies in psychological research.

A short coursework assessment evaluating concepts in developmental psychology and applying this to lifespan development.
A Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) class test online comprised of unseen multiple-choice questions.
Formative Assessment/Feedback:
Examples of written tasks and practice multiple choice questions will be made available and feedback on these will be given in workshops and assessment preparation sessions.

Learning and teaching activities including lectures, workshops and assessment preparation sessions. Lectures will introduce key concepts and develop listening and note-taking skills, with some short interactive tasks, including module/assessment support sessions and drop-in opportunities. Workshops will be spread over the course of the module. The workshops will be closely linked to material covered in lectures and will provide opportunities for more practical engagement with the topic areas covered. Topics may change annually to reflect the debates at the forefront of the discipline but examples of workshop tasks could include reflection on one's own lifespan development in several different areas (e.g. physical, social - emotional and cognitive) and assessing children's drawings from a cognitive and social perspective. Module / assessment support will also be included.

Guided Independent Study will involve developing independent learning skills, assessment support activities and guided reading for formative learning.

1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of introductory principles, theories and concepts related to lifespan development, and how they relate to real-life issues.

Knowledge and Understanding

2. Integrate, interpret and evaluate concepts in developmental psychology and apply this knowledge to issues in lifespan development.

Application and Problem Solving

Boyd, D. & Bee, H. (2025). Lifespan Development.

Pearson. Martin G., Carlson, N. & Buskist, W. (2024). Psychology. Pearson.

Berk, L.E. (2022). Development Through the Lifespan. Sage.

The module will introduce you to aspects of development and change over the lifespan. You will explore key developmental stages for example infancy and adolescence and will consider some of the issues that arise from current psychological research in this field. Teaching sessions will focus on cognitive and social development in childhood, adulthood and old age. You will be introduced to appropriate methodologies in psychology across the lifespan.